The Memorial
by Marla1
Summary: Harry walked out of Shell Cottage, the weight of the world on his shoulders. He walked down to the beach, following the path that took him by Dobby's final resting place. He needed to get out and get away from everyone.


Hey all my AWESOME readers!

So my muse is on a kick... she is in the mood to write one shots about their lives after school :)! I will try to get her into gear to continue MHBH... wish me luck.

So i got this inspiration from seeing the 7th movie and Dobby. I hate that he died and i wanted to honor him!

ENJOY and remember to please review!

Marla1

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Harry walked out of Shell Cottage, the weight of the world on his shoulders. He walked down to the beach, following the path that took him by Dobby's final resting place. He needed to get out and get away from everyone.

His eyes filled up with tears as he thought about Dobby. The brave little house elf, who only wanted to make everyone's life better. That callous bitch had to take his life… it wasn't fair.

Harry stopped dead in his tracks as he passed by Dobby's burial plot. Harry had insisted they bury Dobby without magic that afternoon. They buried him on top of a hill overlooking the beach. The only memorial they had time do was Harry wrote "here lies Dobby, a free elf" on a flat stone and placed it at the top of the grave. They did not have time make it a proper last resting place for Dobby since they had to deal with the aftermath of Malfoy Manor. Hermione had been tortured, Luna and Ollivandar had been in captivity for months and they had to take care of all of it.

Someone came back out during the evening and made it a proper grave site. There was a mosaic of tiles covering the top of the grave with a proper headstone honoring Dobby. Harry sat down on the ground beside the grave, running his hands over the decorated tiles as tears started flowing down his cheeks. He was so touched that someone came back out and gave Dobby a proper grave. He sat there and let out the pain, fear, tears, and stress that had been building and building the last few months.

It could have been hours or just minutes later when the tears stopped. He was then able to look even closer at the beautiful memorial to Dobby.

They personalized each of the varying sized gray tiles in a mosaic honoring Dobby's life. Each tile had carvings with pictures from Dobby's life from the cake he floated in the Dursley's house back in second year, to a sock sticking out of a diary the day he was freed from the Malfoy's, to socks and scarves that Hermione left in the common room for house elves, to crazy mismatched outfits Dobby wore with pride every day, and many other memories from Dobby's life.

Harry's eyes then went to the headstone. It was a dark grey stone with the following engraved:

Dobby the Free House Elf

"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die."

Set into the bottom of the stone was the rock that Harry engraved earlier that day. He ran his hands over the script, honoring his friend.

Harry stood back up and looked at the memorial. It felt like one small battle won in this maddening world. Harry looked out towards the beach, admiring the view that Dobby would see every day. From here he would watch the sun come up and set, and watch tide rise and fall like clockwork every day. He looked out at the beach and saw someone sitting by the lake, silhouetted in the moonlight.

He walked towards the beach, wondering who was out there. He had left after dinner had finished, and thought that everyone else was still in the house. He pulled out his wand, not wanting to take a chance.

As he made his way towards the beach he put away his wand as he recognized who it was. She was sitting on a blanket staring out into the lake. A breeze kicked up as he walked up to her. She was shivering as a breeze kicked up off the lake.

Harry walked up and put his hand on her shoulder not wanting to scare her, "Hermione."

She scooted over, making room for Harry to sit down, "Did you see it? I think it was good enough for Dobby. I wanted to do more… but…" she couldn't finish as a sob came out.

Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione, trying to bring her some of the comfort her memorial brought to him. She spent the last three hours working on the grave, craving the mosaic tiles and the headstone and putting everything together. She had not mourned, just focused on making it, not letting out all the pain she felt, not letting out her tears and fears. She trembled in his arms finally letting it all out.

"Oh Hermione it is beautiful. Words can't even describe how amazing it is. You made the perfect memorial for Dobby." He continued telling her everything he loved about it.

Harry started talking about the tiles he saw and the memories they triggered. Her sobs started dying down as he told stories about the little house elf. They continued talking about Dobby and all the experiences they had with the house elf. Harry was so proud of himself when he made her laugh as he told the story about the floating cake hitting the Dursley's.

"He will continue to live in our hearts forever Hermione. And that memorial you built will honor him for years to come."

"I hope that…" Hermione stopped, her entire body seized.

Harry knew what Hermione was experiencing, the after effects of her torture. Hermione moaned in pain as her muscles seized and her body went into shock. Harry pulled her into his lap and rocked her back and forth. Hermione grabbed his shirt, looked at him with clenched teeth trying not to pass out from the pain.

Harry rubbed her back trying to help her get through the pain, "Oh Hermione, its gonna be okay. Oh Hermione."

"Harry… it hurts." tears were pouring down her eyes, she continued to cling to his shirt in pain.

Slowly her grip started to loosen but Harry continued to keep her close to his chest knowing she would be exhausted. She finally sighed and collapsed against his chest, her energy completely spent. Harry kept rubbing her back and comforting his best friend.

"Thank you Harry..." Hermione lifted her head and smiled at him.

Harry's heart melted into a million pieces at this amazing woman sitting on his lap. Here she sat the one who never left him, bathed in moonlight. The one who suffered so much because of him, the slashing hex in the Department of Mysteries that still scarred her body to the torture she was put through just hours before that could affect her for the rest of her life. Yet this woman did something today that no one else thought nor cared to do. Even with the aftershocks of cruciatus curse wracking her body she spent the last three hours making a memorial for Dobby. She carved a headstone and thirty individual tiles for a mosaic to lay on the top of his grave with memories from his life. She was completely selfless and absolutely amazing. She cared so much about him and did so much for him and he wanted to do the same for her. This night he promised himself that he would do more for her. He promised that he would remember to tell her how much he appreciated her, he would try to do more for her without being asked and would remember how much something simple as a thank you could go a long way. She deserved it, she was his Hermione.

"You are absolutely amazing." Harry hadn't meant for that to come out, but didn't regret it at the smile that appeared on her face.

And there they sat, bathed in the moonlight of a new moon, knowing that the storm was about to break overhead, neither wanting to leave each other's comfort and safety.

Let me know what you think and review!


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